REGINA - The Government of Saskatchewan has announced it is partnering with First Nations University of Canada on scholarships to preserve Indigenous languages in the province.
It was announced Monday at the University that the province will be committing $50,000 annually to fund the new scholarships which will go to students taking Indigenous languages programs at the University. The funding is for three scholarships administered through First Nations University of Canada: the Solomon Ratt Indigenous Language and Language Literacy Scholarship, the second is the Indigenous Language Revitalization Entrance Scholarship, and the third is the First Nation Language Instructor Certificate Scholarship.
Ratt, who recently retired from the First Nations University of Canada after 35 years as Professor of Cree Languages and Literature and who will now have one of the scholarships named for him, was introduced in the legislature gallery Monday by Minister Wyant.
“Mr. Speaker, the Solomon Ratt Indigenous Language and Language Literacy Scholarship was established to support Indigenous language studies. The scholarship offers $1500 to full-time student and $500 to part time students,” said Wyant. “Mr. Speaker, I ask all members to please help me welcome and thank Solomon for his dedication to keeping Indigenous language alive in Saskatchewan and across Canada.”
The three scholarships will be offered and applied for through the First Nations University of Canada. The funding will go towards training approximately 40 students each to become Indigenous language teachers across the province, with the university offering programs in five Indigenous languages.
"At First Nations University of Canada we strive to protect and preserve Indigenous languages which are inextricably tied to our cultures and our identities as First Nations people,” President of the First Nations University of Canada Dr. Jacqueline Ottmann said in a statement. “With this new Indigenous Languages scholarship funding from the Province of Saskatchewan, more students can begin and finish their languages studies here at FNUniv, and that is so important for the preservation and continued use of our traditional languages here in Saskatchewan."
